Just Once
by ToiletFacility
Summary: It's Career's Week, and Alex finds it too much. Oneshot.


**This is just another one of Toilet Facility' frequent and random ideas that spark from nowhere. Yes, I know I should be working on The Hexagon, but I've run out of ideas. (I also should be doing my homework that's due in tomorrow.)**

**Yes, the author can't think of an appropriate title. Let us gouge her eyes out!**

**Disclaimer: The author has been arrested on charges of serious plagiarism and is unable to write a disclaimer. **

**(Yours sincerely, one of the author's multiple personalities.)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

We have a guest speaker today.

Mr. SomethingVeryLongAndComplicated, was coming to talk to us about his 'successful position in the community' or something like that. It's Careers Week, and we get a lot of people coming in trying to convince us which jobs were worthwhile. Nobody was listening, of course. Despite his efforts, Mr. SomethingOrOther was failing miserably to make his important position in the International Bank System interest us.

I'm going to become a football player anyway. I'm nearly the best in the class, too, apart from Alex, maybe. Despite what people think, he still is a star player, despite whatever it is that's happening in his personal life.

I think he's back on track, actually. I'm not a close friend of his, but I've been watching him. Everyone's desperate to find out his 'secret,' and I, although I hate to admit it, am no exception.

* * *

Everyone was watching the clock by then. We had at least fifteen more minutes before the bell goes. That's fifteen minutes too long.

Due to the presence of Mr. Whatshisname, I just sat there, drumming my fingers _boredly_. (I doubt _boredly_ is a word, but I'm not exactly known for my extensive vocabulary.) I gazed around the room, looking for something even slightly worth acknowledging.

My eyes fell on Alex.

People seem so sure that he's been doing something wrong. How are they so sure?

I said that once. I said that he might really be sick, but has a really embarrassing disease that he doesn't want anyone to know about… I got some incredulous looks after that. (Whatever incredulous means.) So I just went along with the rumours, still feeling a little guilty, but not wanting to lose any mates because of it.

I wonder how many people in this class are like that. How many people actually believe what _they _are saying about him? I mean, _seriously,_ **Alex** as a druggo? I doubt that.

Without realising it, I was watching him closely. He certainly looked sick. He was pale and sweating… it wasn't hot at all.

I watched him closer. There was something wrong. He had a panicked expression and looked like he was in pain.

Without warning, Alex Rider bolted from the room.

* * *

I followed him. Don't ask me why.

Maybe I was genuinely concerned; maybe I just wanted to find out what I might never know about Alex. All that matters was as he ran through the door, I sprang up and followed him, with Mrs. Wilson yelling after me;

"Get him a glass of water!" (She was probably thinking he was going to be sick.)

Mr. Careers Dude looked incredibly pissed off that his absolutely _inspiring_ speech had been interrupted. No one cared, of course.

Alex was running faster than I had ever seen anyone run before. He raced straight past the toilets as I struggled to catch up with him. I had no idea what was going on, but I just had to follow him.

Alex tore through the doors and ran out onto the footy field. Where the hell was he going?

After leaping over the boundary fence, I finally caught up with him.

"Alex- what the _hell_-" I gasped. He wasn't listening. He just stood there shaking, staring out onto the road.

I grabbed his shoulder and he whirled around, swinging a half-hearted punch my way. No matter how out of it he was, it still bloody hurt!

"Alex!" I gasped, holding my bleeding nose.

He just stood there, ready for a fight. I saw an expression in his eyes that I had never seen before. Fear, anger… and was that frustration?

Alex was more than physically sick.

* * *

He stood defiantly (is that the right word?) for a second, then crumpled. He drew himself into a ball and sat, trembling. I sat down with him. I had no idea what to say.

"It got too much." said Alex finally.

"Alex…"

"It's never happened before."

"Alex." I still had no idea what to say. He looked at me and smiled slightly.

"Sorry about that."

I got up and tilted my head, a sign for us to go back to class.

"Come on. Do you… you know, want to go to the nurse or something?" I asked cautiously.

He looked at me like I was an idiot. "Bloody hell, no way!"

We walked back to class in silence.

At lunch I was constantly asked what had happened.

I told everyone that he was a child stripper who was also a government assassin, and would have to kill them if anyone else found out.

That shut them up.

* * *

**Don't ask me where that came from. Really, don't.**

**Anyway, please be kind to the poor, suffering author. She is terribly sick in prison with NoReview-itis and would appreciate donations in the form of reviews. Thank you for your support.**


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